Punjab govt imposes strict penalty for schools without colorful dustbins

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has directed to start a smart waste management process in all government and private educational institutions of the province.

The notification issued by the Punjab government states that educational institutions should have five-colored dustbins to ensure proper segregation of waste. This process is to be completed by September 30, 2025, with inspections starting from October 1, 2025. Institutions violating the directive will face fines.

Punjab’s Senior Minister for Environment and Climate Change Marriyum Aurangzeb will oversee the project, while Education Minister Rana Sikandar and Local Government Minister Zeeshan Malik have been assigned specific implementation targets.

According to the notification, each color will represent a specific category of waste. Yellow bins for paper waste, green for bottles, red for glass pieces and laboratory waste, and other metals will be used in separately designated bins. These materials will be recycled for future use.

Teams from the Environment Department, along with local government and community development officials, will monitor compliance. Schools that meet all the requirements will be given honorary certificates.

On the other hand, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz took notice of the rising prices of animal fodder in flood-affected areas of Punjab and directed the authorities to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Provincial Minister for Livestock and Rescue Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, while briefing the Chief Minister, said that 4.7 million animals have been affected by the recent floods. About 2.2 million animals have been shifted to safe areas, while 2 million have been vaccinated. Despite relief efforts, 824 animals were lost during the floods.

The Chief Minister stressed the need to protect livestock resources and ensure food availability to avoid further losses.